Abstract: A performer credit program facilitates crediting, tracking, and accumulating performer credits for consumer activity such as purchasing items related to a performer. Consumers manage performer credits in a performer credit account through a performer credit account facility and can elect to convert accumulated credits to access rights that can be used to acquire a ticket to a live event. Performers or their representative can use the information in the accounts to determine interest in and allocate seats for live events. Consumers can acquire, trade, exchange, or sell credits to other consumers on a secondary market allowing consumers to accumulate sufficient credits to convert to an access right. The program encourages consumers to acquire credits to exchange them for access rights that they can either sell or use to acquire a ticket to a live event.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to predict demand for a product or service (e.g., music concerts, toys, etc.) are disclosed. A futures market is opened for the particular good or service, and market data is generated. The producer of the product or service makes a production decision based on that market data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for marketing contingent event certificates are disclosed. The disclosed method and apparatus enable existing registered users to purchase contingent event certificates as gifts for non-registered or pre-registered users. Once the new user is identified, the new user holds rights to the contingent event certificate, and if the contingent event occurs, the new user would hold rights to an actual event ticket rather than a contingent event ticket. In this manner, the overall number of users is increased.

Abstract: A system and method of funding a charity is provided. The system and method enable a number of buyers to purchase and resell a variety of items. Each of the items is associated with a charity and an amount related to the proceeds of each sale is donated to the charity.

Abstract: A system and method for executing a payment transaction over a computer network are provided. Users of an electronic marketplace are able to place bids on items for sale or to sell items at an offer price. seller the user's bid or offer is accepted, a payment transaction is automatically completed whereby the seller receives payment for the item they are selling and the buyer is charged for the item they are buying. In addition, a marketplace transaction fee is exacted as part of the payment transaction.

Abstract: An electronic exchange and a method for trading a seat license, tickets and contingent event ticket certificates for events at certain venues and for events which may be or may not be scheduled in the future to take place at the venue are provided. The seat licenses and season tickets grant the licensee or holder the right and in some cases the obligation to purchase tickets and the contingent event ticket certificates. Contingent event ticket certificates convert to event tickets at a time associated with the actual scheduling of the contingent event, when the contingent event ticket certificate converts the holder of the contingent event ticket certificate is charged the face value of the ticket. The exchange and method provide for trading in seat licenses, tickets and contingent event ticket certificates between a number of buyers and sellers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a combination vacuum cleaning apparatus. The apparatus includes, in combination, means for sealing an area to be cleaned against the passage of dirt therefrom, such as a skirt; a vacuum source for creating a high-pressure zone within the area enclosed by the skirt and a low-pressure zone within the area enclosed by the skirt; and an intake manifold positioned at the low-pressure zone and operationally connected to the vacuum source to conduct dirt away from the area to be cleaned.

Abstract: A process for establishing well-to-well flow communication between a plurality of wells penetrating a subsurface formation is provided. A common fracture network is created by initiating a fracture from a first well, and then propagating that fracture from the first well to a second well. When the fracture has reached the second well, fracturing fluid is injected into the second well and thereby further propagates the fracture to a third well, and so on, so that the fracture is successively propagated to all of the wells. Such a fracture can be located adjacent either a lower or an upper boundary of a tilted subsurface formation, as desired. Techniques are also provided for reducing uneven areal distribution of injection fluids which are injected into fractures.

Abstract: A process for selectively plugging permeable zones in subterranean formations or for plugging subterranean leaks which comprises injecting into the permeable zone or the site of the subterranean leak an aqueous solution containing 1 to 70 weight percent of a non-aggregated colloidal silica sol having a particle size in the range between 4 and 100 nm and a pH in the range between about 1 and 10, and causing said solution to gel in said zone or at said site.

Abstract: A process for establishing well-to-well flow communication between a plurality of wells penetrating a subsurface formation is provided. A common fracture network is created by initiating a fracture from a first well, and then propagating that fracture from the first well to a second well. When the fracture has reached the second well, fracturing fluid is injected into the second well and thereby further propagates the fracture to a third well, and so on, so that the fracture is successively propagated to all of the wells. Such a fracture can be located adjacent either a lower or an upper boundary of a tilted subsurface formation, as desired. Techniques are also provided for reducing uneven areal distribution of injection fluids which are injected into fractures.